Google wants to be a major force in the cloud while lower cost high performance computing should make it easier for IT organizations to build their own clouds.

Google App Engine is Open for Business
During a developer conference this week that focused on cloud computing, client and connectivity, Google laid out is vision for helping developers to build and create applications that will run on top of Google infrastructure. As part of the effort, Google released an updated version of its toolkit while also simultaneously cutting the ribbon on a new state-of-the-art data center facility. All of this is designed to inspire confidence in Google but some folks are questioning Google's overall approach to security. Elsewhere, other folks are concerned about continuing Google hacks and the company's inability to recognize when it is indexing stolen data. On the positive side, Google is taking steps to improve search engine security.

High Performance Computing is Flying High
Application backlog has always been an issue for companies that need high performance computing, but with the advent of multicore processors and falling server prices customers can afford more compute engine horsepower for the same dollar. At the same time, customers building Web 2.0 application are discovering the need to leverage high performance computing systems to support all the different media types they now have to process and manage. Microsoft is readying a new version of Windows Server 2008 specifically designed for high performance computing requirements while both Hewlett-Packard and IBM are preparing new system offerings. All of this is happening at a time when HP and IBM are slugging it out over server market share and overall revenue so the intensity of this fight should be increasing in the months to come.

Enterprise Customers Need a More Strategic Approach to Virtualization
As companies such as Unisys begin to roll out end-to-end IT services around virtualization, a once in a decade chance to rectify the sins of the past is at hand. Unfortunately, due to a lack of planning a lot of people will miss that opportunity. Meanwhile, EMC is leveraging its VMware ownership to provide a new approach to business continuity for Windows Server applications while also moving to acquire a company to help improve virtualization performanace. Speaking of which, Verari and Xsigo have teamed up to improve virtualization performance.

Microsoft Showcases Snippet of Windows 7 Code
Apparently Microsoft is a little conflicted about talking too much about Windows 7 but now that Windows Vista has passed the 150 million unit mark the folks in Redmond appear to be getting a little more comfortable with the number 7. The coolest thing about Windows 7 thus far appears to be touch screen controls.

Cisco Makes Major Thrust into Mobile Computing
With a new controller that essentially allows any number of wireless network technologies to be combined to deliver location-aware virtual services, Cisco is out to change the nature of mobile computing.

Free Bandwidth for All
Just when you thought the carriers had all the politicians in their pockets there is a movement afoot to give at least half the country free access to bandwidth.

Hewlett-Packard Expands Presence in Security-as-a-Service Space
HP now intends to add support for application security to its expanding set of security services, which right now is one of the fastest growing segment of the security market as customers look to online services to cut costs.

CIOs Struggle to Come to Terms with CFO Brethren
Sometimes you wonder why everybody just can't get along better but hopefully it won't reach a point where IT people need an MBA just to talk to finance people in a language they can understand.